China 'forced Miss Tibet to quit'
| BBC
5 December 2006 —
Malaysia:
The Tibetan entrant in an international beauty pageant in Malaysia has blamed China for her expulsion from the event. Tsering Chungtak said that China pressured the competition organisers to replace her "Miss Tibet" sash with one reading "Miss Tibet-China".
...

Miss Tibet slams China over expulsion from pageant
| AFP
5 December 2006 —
NEW DELHI, India:
A Tibetan contestant barred from participating in a Malaysian beauty pageant blamed China on Wednesday for her exclusion from the international event. Tsering Chungtak, who flew back to the Indian capital on Tuesday from the pageant venue in Kuala Lampur, said organisers ordered her to wear a sash marked "Miss Tibet-China" or withdraw from the contest.
...

Hope hard to sustain in Tibet's "freedom struggle"
| Reuters
05 November 2006 —
DHARAMSHALA, India:
The chatter gave way to rowdy male
laughter when Tseten Yangsom began her brief talk on
"How Tibetan women play a role in Tibet's freedom
struggle." Yangsom, 21, battled on bravely, but I was
surely not the only audience member who felt like curling
up in embarrassment. This was Miss Tibet 2006, billed
as a "beauty pageant with a difference", a celebration
of Tibetan girls, somehow – and surely incongruously –
doubling as a promotion of the region's struggle against Chinese rule.
...

An experience of a lifetime
| Phayul
28 October 2006 —
Washington, USA
Miss Washington Kristen Eddings returned home to Silverdale this
week after spending 14 days immersed in the culture of India.
...
In what Eddings calls a "coincidental happening,"
she also had the opportunity to participate in the Miss Tibet pageant.
... Not only was she asked to be a judge in the competition,
but it was requested that she light the opening torch.
...

There she is, Miss Tibet
| CSMonitor
17 October 2006 —
Mcleod Ganj:
From exile in India, five Tibetan women compete – in swimsuits
– to raise the profile of their political cause. Cold rain pelted
this former British hill station last Friday morning, threatening to
cancel one of the town's more provocative annual social and political
events: the swimsuit round of the Miss Tibet beauty pageant. But
the sun broke through, and at 1 o'clock, right on time, the five
contestants were primped, poised, and ready. Only one small problem:
no judges.
...

21-year-old Delhi University student is Miss Tibet 2006
| IANS
16 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
Dressed nattily in ethnic Tibetan costume, 21-year-old Tsering
Chungtak won the coveted Miss Tibet 2006 as well as the Miss
Photogenic crown at a grand finale of the fifth Miss Tibet pageant
here. Tsering Chungtak, a second-year sociology student of Hindu
College of Delhi University and a part-time model, said after
her win Sunday evening: "I want to serve my community (Tibetan)
in whatever way I can in the future."
...

Miss Tibet to work for Panchen Lama's release
| Tribune News Service
16 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
The newly crowned Miss Tibet-2006, Tsering Chungtak, said she would
take up the cause of saving the Panchen Lama, who had gone missing
in 1995, at the age of six. "As we all know that Panchen Lama is
the youngest political prisoner. I'm really going to raise my voice
for him and I want people to support me. No one knows where Panchen
Lama is. I'm really going to campaign for his release," said the
21-year-old beauty, after being crowned at the finale of the pageant
in McLeodganj last night by last year's winner Tenzin Nyima.
...

Miss Tibet winner puts politics on the catwalk
| Reuters
16 October 2006 —
Mcleod Ganj:
Braving a controversial "swimwear" round and questions about
Tibet's "freedom struggle", a sociology student born in India has
won the annual Miss Tibet beauty pageant held by Tibetans living in
exile. Organiser Lobsang Wangyal says the pageant is not a political
event but a celebration of "beautiful, elegant, brave and modern
Tibetan girls".
...

Miss Photogenic is Miss Tibet 2006
| Phayul
16 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
After three days of competing in seven rounds of competitions,
Tsering Chungtak, the 21-year-old second-year student from Delhi
University, was crowned Miss Tibet 2006 here on the night of
the Grand Finale event. Miss Tsering Chungtak also took the title
of this year's Miss Tibet Photogenic after securing 1740 votes
of the total 3909 votes cast in the online public poll.
...

Beauty pageant embraced by exiles who miss Tibet
| Daniel Pepper
15 October 2006 —
Mcleod Ganj:
Cold rain pelted the northern Indian town of McLeod Ganj last week,
threatening to cancel one of the town's more provocative social and
political events of the year: the swimsuit round of the annual Miss
Tibet beauty pageant. But the sun broke through just after noon on
Friday and the five contestants were primped, poised and primed to
strut their stuff.
...

Commando Drops Out Of Miss Tibet Pageant
| UPI
15 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
The Miss Tibet pageant went off with plenty of controversy in India
this week despite the fact only five women were entered. The Times
of London said the contest in the town of Dharamshala produced dismay
over the swimsuit competition as well as the revelation that one
of the contestants was a soldier in a covert mountain warfare unit.
...

From Chinese jail to Miss Tibet? A girl's dream
| Reuters
15 October 2006 —
Mcleod Ganj:
Three years ago, at the tender age of 17, Metok Lhazey sat in
solitary confinement in a pitch dark, filthy and horribly cramped
Chinese prison cell in the Tibetan capital Lhasa. This weekend,
the nervous 20-year-old is dreaming about being crowned Miss Tibet
in a small but controversial beauty pageant held by Tibetan refugees
in northern India
...

Miss Tibet
| Paul Jones
15 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
Sayan sends a different story about the Tibetans – IBN has a video
posted of the Miss Tibet Contest. The Contest is produced by Tibetan
journalist Lobsang Wangyal (of the ibiblio-hosted Association of
Tibetan Journalists).
...

Exiled Tibetians hold beauty contest
| CNN-IBN
14 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
As beauty pageants go, this is one with a difference. Tibetans
living in exile in India gathered in Dharmshala to crown Miss Tibet
2006. There was only one participant for the Miss Tibet crown last
year but the 2006 pageant had a record six contestants turning
up in Dharmshala — the seat of the exiled Tibetan government in
Himachal Pradesh.
...

Swimsuit pageant parades beautiful dream of free Tibet
| The Times
13 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
On the eve of the competition, one entrant was ordered to withdraw
because she serves in a covert Tibetan unit of the Indian Army
specialising in high-altitude combat. Pema Choedon, the soldier
turned beauty queen, was so upset that she had a panic attack and
was taken to hospital.
...

Ms Tibet runs into trouble again
| IANS
13 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
The Miss Tibet contest has run into rough seas yet again with one of
the much-hyped contestants, an Indian woman soldier, pulling out
at the last moment of this year's event. ...
observers say the Indian government has asked her to pull out
as it is wary of annoying China, which doesn't approve of the
Miss Tibet contest.
...

Dharamshala hosts Miss Tibet contest
| HeadlinesIndia
13 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
Six participants will vie for the Miss Tibet-2006 title
during the three-day beauty contest, which begins on Friday at Mcleod
Ganj. The event will begin with a swim-suit round, which would be
held at hotel near Naddi and will be open only to a select audience.
...

Brave beauty vies for Tibet title
| Mata Press Service
11 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
Most Tibetan women living-in-exile in Dharamshala town of scenic
Himachal Pradesh wear ankle-length skirts and long-sleeved blouses.
Their conservative lifestyle disapproves of the public display of
women. This month, six women, including a dermatologist from Canada,
aim to change some of the traditional views in the seat of the Dalai
Lama's government-in-exile which is home to thousands of Tibetans.
...

Bold and Beautiful
| Mata Press Service
11 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
They are talented, curvaceous and eloquent beauties who strongly
believe in Tibetan values and the Dalai Lama. All said these six
bold women from the roof of the world are all set to defy the
Tibetan government by taking part in the "un-Tibetan" and
"untraditional" Miss Tibet contest from October 13 to 15.
If contestants in the past showed their guts by confronting the
conservative Tibetan society by merely participating, this time
the contestants would go a step further and strut around in their
shapely figures in the swim-suit round to be thrown open to the
general public for the first time.
...

Models practicing yoga ahead of Miss Tibet 2006
| Keralanext
10 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
The number of participants for the beauty pageant, which elects
"Miss Tibet 2006", has risen to six, the highest ever for the
beauty contest conducted here in Dharamshala. Gearing up for the
upcoming competition, the participants are following strict regimes
by undergoing training in meditation and yoga classes.
...

Update – Miss Tibet 2006
| Press Release at TibetLink
10 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
As October approaches, the excitement soars for one and all,
looking forward to the Miss Tibet pageant. The FAQ now is, "How
many contestants are there this year?" The fifth edition of the
Miss Tibet pageant is ready and like we said before, we will have
a nice surprise this year since we are going to have the biggest
number of participants in the pageant's history.
...

Miss Tibet
| Asian Wild Rose
10 October 2006 —
The Miss Tibet has grown from 1 contestant in 2003 to 6 in
2006. There were actually 11 applicants but 2 were rejected,
1 couldnt get a VISA, 1 was sick and 1 just didnt show up. A Miss
Tibet still seems a very foreign concept as it tries to grow.
...

Models practicing yoga ahead of Miss Tibet 2006
| ANI
9 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
Tibetans living-in-exile in Dharamshala town of scenic Himachal
Pradesh are slowly opening up to the concept of beauty pageants.
The number of participants for the beauty pageant, which elects
"Miss Tibet 2006", has risen to six, the highest ever for the beauty
contest conducted here in Dharamshala.
...

Miss Tibet participants arrive in Dharamshala
| KeralaNext
7 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
Six beautiful women have arrived in this Himachal town to participate
in the Miss Tibet 2006 contest to be held Oct 13-15. The names of the
participants, which include aspirants from Delhi, Nepal and Canada,
were announced Friday by Lobsang Wangyal, director of the pageant.
...

Fifth Miss Tibet Beauty pageant, 2006
| Phayul
6 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
Calling them beautiful, elegant, brave and modern Tibetan girls;
Lobsang Wangyal, producer-director of the Miss Tibet Pageant,
presented and announced before the press here today, the six
contestants who have made to the final round of the Miss Tibet-2006,
fifth in the line of series.
...

Six women brave tradition to take part in Miss Tibet pageant in India
| AP
6 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
Six young women will compete in a beauty pageant of Tibetan exiles
later this month, despite opposition from conservative Tibetans who
say the contest violates their traditions. "We have six beautiful,
elegant, brave and modern Tibetan girls participating in the Miss
Tibet Pageant 2006," Lobsang Wangyal, director of the contest told
journalists in Dharmshala, home to the government-in-exile of the
Dalai Lama.
...

2006 Miss Tibet Beauty Pageant Begins in Dharamshala
| Voice of America News
6 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
2006 Miss Tibet beauty pageant contestants were announced
and presented, during a press conference convened by the
producer-director of the Miss Tibet Pageant today, this year there
are six contestant, including one from Canada. The final crowning
of Miss Tibet will be held on 15th October in Dharamshala.
...
With audio in Tibetan.

Six beautiful, elegant, brave, and modern Tibetan girls in Miss Tibet Pageant 2006
| Miss News
6 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
Today is 6 October 2006, and we have six beautiful, elegant, brave,
and modern Tibetan girls participating in the Miss Tibet Pageant
2006. The participants are Metok Lhanze, 20, from Delhi; Pema
Chodon (Peyang), 24, from Dehra Dun; Tenzin Palmo, 23, from Delhi;
Tsering Chungtak, 21, from Delhi; Tseten Yangzom, 21, from Nepal;
and Wangchuk Palmo, 25, from Canada. In all we received applications
from 11 eligible candidates.
...

Dharamshala readies for Miss Tibet contest
| IANS
4 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
Lobsang Wangyal, producer-director of the pageant, said the event
would be held at McLeodganj, the seat of Tibetan spiritual leader
the Dalai Lama here, and added that the names of the participants
would be announced Friday.
...

Dharamshala readies for Miss Tibet contest
| NewKerala
4 October 2006 —
Dharamshala:
This Himachal town is all geared up for the annual Miss Tibet
contest to be held Oct 13-15. Lobsang Wangyal, producer-director
of the pageant, said the event would be held at McLeodganj, the
seat of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama here, and added
that the names of the participants would be announced Friday.
...

Miss Tibet contest Oct 13-15
| World Tibet Network News
5 September 2006 —
Dharamshala:
The annual Miss Tibet pageant will be held this year Oct 13 to 15.
Lobsang Wangyal, producer-director of the pageant, said the event
would be held at McLeodganj here. Wangyal said preparations were
in full swing and the girls were getting ready for the event.
...

More beauties expected at Miss Tibet contest
| World Tibet Network News
8 August 2006 —
Dharamshala:
Organisers of the Miss Tibet contest say there will be more
contestants at this year's annual contest here in October. Lobsang
Wangyal, producer-director of the pageant, told IANS: 'We are
expecting many contestants this year. We may have a nice surprise.'
...

Ms Tibet organisers hope more will join
| IANS
29 March 2006 —
Shimla:
Organisers of the Ms Tibet contest are hoping that more women will
be brave enough to participate in the event this year, overcoming
disapproval from the conservative Tibetan Buddhist society. Only
one girl had taken part in the controversial contest last year.
...

Lamas and dramas
| The Australian
4 March 2006 —
I wake up to chill air and an Indian town divided. Like clockwork
at this time of the year, McLeod Ganj, home of the Dalai Lama
and thousands of Tibetan exiles, breaks into warring factions. In
internet chat rooms, monasteries and cafes throughout the Tibetan
diaspora, friendships are strained as accusations fly and arguments
rage.
...